Avatar: The Next Earth Kingdom Idol
by Waterbender-Katara
Summary: A singing contest is starting up in Ba Sing Se. Tons of people audition, but who will win? Its up to you!


(Camera zooms in on a stage where a girl in jeans and an Avatar shirt and another girl in jeans and a Harry Potter shirt are standing)

Girl in Avatar Shirt: (waves at camera) Hi I'm Katt, and one of the co-authors of this fanfic.

Girl in HP Shirt: (also waves at camera) Aloha, I'm Luna, the other author of this fanfic.

Katt: We've been planning on writing this for a long time, and we finally got to it.

Luna: Yea, I had tons of fun writing it

Katt: Please read our authors notes at the bottom bec-

Luna: (excitedly) Because they have a whole bunch of info on it, so please read!!

Katt: Anyway, please read this fanfic and enjoy, and maybe even review!

Luna: And just so you know, this takes place around the episode, Tales of Ba Sing Se.

* * *

The entire city of Ba Sing Se was abuzz with news. People were so excited. 

"I can't believe it! Earth Kingdom Idol is coming HERE to Ba Sing Se!" one woman was heard to be saying loudly to another inside a teashop.

"Oooh, it's going to be great. I can't wait!" said the other. They gave their money to the surly looking scarred teenage boy behind the counter, picked up their teas, and walked off.

"Uncle, what's this about that Earth Kingdom Idol everyone's been talking about?" asked Prince Zuko, rubbing his scar in an irritated sort of gesture.

"Well, it is a sort of talent show, where people go up on a stage and sing a song, and judges tell them if they were good, or well...if they sounded like a dying platypus bear. Then, an audience votes on whom they liked best, and who ever nobody voted for is removed from the show. It goes on and on for weeks.

"I see..." said Zuko vaguely.

"Auditions are tonight, actually. Down at the Ba Sing Se performing arts center, you know. They should be interesting to watch, eh?" asked Iroh.

"Mmm hmm..."said Zuko, deep in thought. _If it worked when he rescued the Avatar, wouldn't it work for a silly competition?_ He thought._ One could never know..._

* * *

"Toph, look at this!" Katara cried, running over to where Toph and Sokka were playing some random game with a couple of rocks on the roof of their building. It was their favorite pastime for lazy afternoons. 

"What is it?" muttered Toph, angry with Sokka for beating her at the game they had been playing. But thanks to the Sugar Queen interrupting her, her defeat was SO NAWT her loss. "Congrats for interrupting, Queenie, Your purpose was?"

" Erm, to tell you about this cool singing competition at Ba Sing Se Performing Arts Center. You wanna audition with me?"

"I'll try to contain my excitement, Your-Royal-Highness-Of-Sugar. Singing's not my thing. But as for smashing rocks, well..." she stamped her bare foot and watched Sokka's playing rock come up from the ground a few feet only to smash into several pieces.

Sokka took a glance at the amused expression on Toph's face and looked sadly at his destroyed rock. "Nice work, Toph. Now, I have to gown down to the street and FIND ANOTHER STINKING ROCK!"

"Ha, ha, never gets old." Toph said, smirking. "Anything else, Sugar Queen?"

"Toph, please come audition? PLEASE? PLEASE PLEASE? PLEASE?!"

"Calm down...Alright. alRIGHT, I'll go down their and break the eardrums of the judges woth you..."

"YAY!" Katara yelled with joy. She jumped so high in the air that she fell off the building...

And...landed in the arms of one muscular guy with a blue mask on.

The guy didn't put her down. He stared at her.

"Um...nice catch. Thanks." Katara said.

The guy just nodded.

"Erm...you know, seeing as you kinda just saved me, I do owe you, so erm, do you need help with something? Is there something I can do for you?" she asked tentatively.

"Well..." the guy said. "It's a crazy idea, but you wanna help me with some songs for EKI?

"Sure!" Katara beamed. "To sing together?"

"Er, yea..."

"Great! Let's go practice." she said.

He nodded, and, still carrying her, they went off to a nearby teashop.

"Well, this is my uncle's teashop." he said, realizing he was still carrying her and putting her down at last. "So, you wanna, um, come up with a song?" he asked nervously.

"Not until you take off the mask." she said firmly.

"Was that part of our arrangement?" he asked.

"I guess not...but you cant sing with that thing on...anyway, who are you?"

"Look, you can call me the Blue Spirit. I'll take off the mask on stage when we sing. Fair enough?" he asked curtly.

"OK..." she said resolutely. "Let's just choose a song."

* * *

Katara's stomach was a flutter. She wanted to know who he was…or who he reminded her of… 

She was backstage at EKI, doing a last minute preparation when an announcer, said, "Welcome to EKI! You all know the rules, so without further ado, we give you the incredibly tiny-

"HEY!" a voice shouted, and a large rock chunk flew up and hit the announcer in the face.

"Toph...Bei...Fong..." the announcer finished weakly.

Toph calmly and confidently walked out on stage, took a deep breath and started,

"I feel the earth move  
Under my feet  
I feel the sky tumbling down  
I feel my heart start to trembling  
Whenever you're around

Ooh, baby  
When I see your face  
Mellow as the month of May  
Oh, darling, I can't stand it  
When you look at me that way

I feel the earth move  
Under my feet  
I feel the sky tumbling down  
I feel my heart start to trembling  
Whenever you're around"

"Thank, you, Miss Bei Fong! Now, we have all the way from the South Pole, Kana! Singing with her, as this show is COUPLES OPTIONAL is Mushi!

Katara stared in amazement as her GRAN-GRAN walked out on the stage with a strange man that looked somehow familiar, like she'd seen him before. They sang,

(Iroh) Come out Kana, don't let me me wait  
You Catholic girls start much too late  
But sooner or later it comes down to fate  
I might as well be the one  
They showed you a statue and told you to prayThey built you a temple and locked you away  
But they never told you the price that you pay  
For things that you might have done...  
(Iroh and Kana) Only the good die young, That's what I said

Only the good die young, Only the good die young

(Iroh)You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd  
We ain't too pretty we ain't too proud  
We might be laughing a bit too loud  
But that never hurt no one  
Come on Kana show me a sign  
Send up a signal I'll throw you the line  
The stained-glass curtain you're hiding behind  
Never lets in the sun  
And only the good die young"

"Now, we have the vocal styling of a couple known as the Blue Spirit…aaaaand Ka-tara!" the announcer said with great enthusiasm as Katara and the masked guy walked out on stage. Katara was shaking as she picked up the microphone. The as the music kicked in, he started singing. Katara looked over at her singing partner and gasped, her jaw dropping nearly to the floor.

Zuko. Zuko, banished prince of the Fire Nation. The next Fire Lord. In other words, the guy that had been weighing in on Katara's mind for over a fortnight, ever since she saw his wounded uncle- _who must have been singing with Gran Gran! _she thought. Katara thought for a second about all this. _So two members of the royal family of the Fire Nation had become refugees, living inside the walls their own nation had been trying to bring to the ground._

_Wow._

There was no more time to dwell on this. Zuko had started singing already. Their song choice?

(Zuko)So I said I'm a snowball running  
Running down into the spring that's coming all this love  
Melting under blue skies  
Belting out sunlight  
Shimmering love

(Katara)Well baby I surrender  
To the strawberry ice cream  
Never ever end of all this love  
Well I didn't mean to do it  
But there's no escaping your love

(Both)These lines of lightning  
Mean we're never alone,  
Never alone, no, no

Come on, Come on  
Move a little closer Come on, Come on  
I want to hear you whisper  
Come on, Come on  
Settle down inside my love

Come on, come on  
Jump a little higher  
Come on, come on  
If you feel a little lighter  
Come on, come on  
We were once  
Upon a time in love

We're accidentally in love  
Accidentally in love"

Katara and Zuko finished singing and to tumultuous appluse, they bowed and walked off stage.

Their reaction to each other?

"Um..hi?" Katara said tentatively.

"Yo." Zuko responded.

"You're...um...well, _Zuko." _she whispered the last word,staring at him in amazement.

"I'm aware of that factor, though it's Lee around here. And you are, if I'm not mistaken Katara, the waterbender and friend of the Avatar." Katara looked at him angrily. He threw up a hand to silence her. "Don't worry. I've given up on that. Seriously. Please believe me."

And, somehow, Katara just did.

* * *

Meanwhile, Aang was have his own crisis. He was about to go on stage to sing a song...but he didn't know who he was even supposed to be singing with. He had put his name in for a drawing which would match him up with a singing partner, because he was too shy to ask Toph or Katara. When he heard his name announced, he froze. Numbly he walked out on stage and just decided that he would sing it himself if no one showed up. His partners name wasn't announced, so Aang started the song on his own. 

We're soarin', flyin'

There's not a star in heaven

That we can't reach

Aang looked desperately to the side of him and saw, to his astonishment, a girl standing there holding a staff like the one he carried. She was about 12 by her appearance. She had sleek brown hair tied back, not in an elegantly knotted braid like the one Katara wore, but in a simple ponytail. She wore an outfit similar to his, in other words, she dressed as an Air Nomad, and, though she bore no tattoos, Aang could tell she was an Airbender. Recovering from this discovery, he and the mystery Air nomad sang the rest of the song,

(Malu) If we're trying So we're breaking free

(Aang) You know the world can see us In a way that's different than who we are

( Malu)Creating space between us 'Til we're separate hearts

(Both) But your faith it gives me strength, Strength to believe

(Aang) We're breakin' free

(Malu) We're soarin'

(Aang) Flyin'

(Both) There's not a star in heaven That we can't reach

(Aang) If we're trying

(Both) Yeah, we're breaking free

(Aang) Oh, we're breakin' free

Malu) Ohhhh

He walked off the stage with the girl at the end of the song.

Once they were safely off stage, Aang was suddenly aware of how nervous he was,

talking to this girl.

"Uh, hi." he said stupidly.

"Hi!" the girl said brightly. She smiled toothily at him. "My name's Malu. I'm an airbender, like

you, Aang!" she said, performing a simple air scooter.

"You know my name?" Aang asked.

"Duh! You're the Avatar!" she said.

"Ohh, right." Aang said

The girl laughed.

He smiled and said,

"So you're an airbender?"

"Uh-huh." she said

"But um, well, I thought they were um, extinct…except for me, you know." he said lamely.

Malu looked at him sadly. "So did I, Aang."

* * *

However, Aang' s discussion with Malu was not all that was going on. Sokka was 

stealing the show, dancing conga style with the Suki and about 20 other Kyoshi warriors. He was belting out, with the warriors singing in the background,

People all over the world (everybody)  
Join hands (join)  
Start a love train, love train  
People all over the world (all the world, now)  
Join hands (love ride)  
Start a love train (love ride), love trainThe next stop that we make will be soon  
Tell all the folks in Russia, and China, too  
Don't you know that it's time to get on board  
And let this train keep on riding, riding on through  
Well, well  
People all over the world (you don't need no money)  
Join hands (come on)  
Start a love train, love train (don't need no ticket, come on)  
People all over the world (Join in, ride this train)  
Join in (Ride this train, y'all)  
Start a love train (Come on, train), love train  
All of you brothers over in Africa  
Tell all the folks in Egypt, and Israel, too  
Please don't miss this train at the station  
'Cause if you miss it, I feel sorry, sorry for you

* * *

Back to Aang and Malu

"Uh, what do you mean?" he asked her.

"Well, I'm dead. I remember dying. I was living alone in the forest for a long time until I just,

died. I was brought to the spirit world, where I lived in rest for many decades, until I was sent

to help the Avatar. They told me I'd find a way. I guess I'm here to be your friend, for now. I don't knowhow long I can stay." she finished sadly.

"So you're a ghost?" he asked.

"In a way, ghost, spirit, memory, whatever you wanna call it, that's me. Anyways...I haven't been alive in a LONG TIME! And, I intend to enjoy it. So let's stop talking about this ghost-time-crap and have some FUN!" she said excitedly.

"Uh, okay." Aang said. "Sounds, er, fun!"

* * *

Back on stage 

"Ok!" the announcer said. "You've heard from our contestants! Now, before the judges have their say, we have a request encore from the singers of two of the favorite songs from tonight! First up, we have Kana of 'Only the Good Die Young' and Katara from 'Accidentally In Love'!"

Katara and Kana walked out on the stage. After their reunion, they knew they should sing together, so they both took the microphones and sang,

(Katara) Ooooo Yeah  
I didn't wanna listen to what you were sayin'  
I thought that I knew all I need to know  
I didn't realize that somewhere inside me  
I knew you were right but I couldn't say so

I can take care of myself, yeah, you taught me well

I learned from you that I do not crumble  
I learned that strength is something you choose  
All of the reasons to keep on believin'  
There's no question, that's a lesson, that I learned from you

(Kana) We always don't agree on  
What is the best way  
To get to the place that we're going from here  
But I can really trust you, and give you the distance,  
to make your decisions without any fear

(Both) I'm grateful for all of the times  
You opened my eyes

I learned from you that I do not crumble  
I learned that strength is something you choose  
All of the reasons to keep on believin',  
There's no question, that's a lesson  
I learned from you

You taught me to stand on my own

(Katara) and I thank you for that

After a great round of applause, they went off stage. The announcer said, "Now, we have Mushi, Kana's singing partner, and the Blue Spirit, who sang with Katara!

Iroh emerged dramatically wearing a set of fairy wings. Zuko entered from the opposite entrance, wrapped in a cocoon-like sleeping bag. He went to lie on the floor in the center of the stage. Iroh stood of to the side and began in a high-pitched voice,

I've been so wrapped up in my warm cocoon  
But something's happening, things are changing soon  
I'm pushing the edge, I'm feeling it crack  
And once I get out, there's no turning back Watching the butterfly go towards the sun  
I wonder what I will become

At the chorus, Zuko burst out of his 'cocoon', fully clad in his own butterfly wings. He joined in,

Metamorphosis  
Whatever this is  
Whatever I'm going through  
Come on and give me a kiss Come on, I insist  
I'll be something new  
A metamorphosis Things are different now when I walk by  
You start

to sweat and you don't know why  
It gets me nervous but it makes me calm  
To see life all around me moving on Watching the butterfly go towards the sun  
I wonder what I will become (Spoken by Zuko) Every day is a transformation  
Every day is a new sensation  
Alteration, modification  
An incarnation, celebration  
Every day is a new equation  
Every day is a revelation  
Information, Anticipation  
Onto another destination

* * *

After the show, everyone gathered back stage- Katara, Zuko, Toph, Aang, Malu, Kana, Iroh, and Sokka, who had just finished saying 'good night' to Suki and her friends. 

"HIM!" Sokka and Aang yelled, pointing at Zuko.  
"He's alright guys, trust me." Katara said, stepping slightly closer to Zuko.

"He's Fire Na-" Sokka started to say, but Iroh silenced him with a glare. Sokka then turned to his Gran-Gran who smiled warmly at him.

"Gran-Gran, it's great to see you- how do you know this guy," he demanded, pointing to Iroh.

"Sokka, you haven't changed a bit. Iroh and I knew each other when we were younger, and we recently got back in touch."

Sokka opened his mouth to argue more but Katara said, "Save it, Sokka.

The judges are about to give their comments."

"YAY!" Sokka said excitedly. "LET'S GO!"

* * *

Song: "I Feel the Earth Move" by Toph Bei Fong 

Ju Dee: "That was very well sung."

June: "Quite good, Footsie Tootsie, but you could have danced a but more."

The Earth King: "Very nice, Toph!!"

* * *

Song: "Only the Good Die Young" by Kana and Mushi 

Ju Dee: "That was very nice."

June: "Nice to see you again, Uncle Lazy! That was actually pretty good."

The Earth King: "That was very good, Kana and umm..Mush-ee!" "Umm..its pronounced Moo-shee"

* * *

Song: "Accidentally In Love" by Katara and The Blue Spirit 

Ju Dee: "Very entertaining."

June: "Nice to see you again too, Angry Boy. I'm agreeing with Smiley Lady here."

The Earth King: "I'm also agreeing with June and Ju Dee."

* * *

Song: "Breaking Free" by Aang and Malu

Ju Dee: "Very umm...Airbender-y"

June: "Quite good, Master Arrowhead and friend."

Earth King: "Ohhh! An Airbender! Can you show me a trick!?"

* * *

Song: "Love Train" by Sokka, featuring Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors

Ju Dee: "Very up beat."

June: "Hey big boy, I'll get on your love train."

The Earth King: "I'll get on your love train too."

* * *

Credits: 

Love Train- The O'Jays

Accidently in Love- Counting Crows

Metamorphosis- Hillary Duff

I Feel The Earth Move- Carol King

Breaking Free- High School Musical

Only The Good Die Young- Billy Joel

I Learned from You- Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus

Idea: From American Idol, Thanks for the idea!

Katt: This was a whole bunch of fun to write! We've been planning this for a long time and since we had a four day weekend we decided to write it. This takes place around Tales of Ba Sing Se, as I said at the beginning, but the whole Zuko and Iroh singing thing is an inside joke between me and my co-author Luna, from episode 18 and we hope you get it.

Luna: Hey, this is Luna. I had soo much fun writing this chapter- it's my first FF, can you tell? Anyways, I hope you had fun reading this- and please, if you did, don't be shy about it! Write a review, see the review button? Isn't it shiiiny? Don't you want to just click it! and type up a quick review???

PS- Next chapter: Auditions Night 2! It will be up soon, along with a short explanation on how to vote for your favorite singers!


End file.
